DIGITAL.NEOSKOSMOS.COM THE WEEKEND NEOS KOSMOS | SATURDAY 16 JUNE 2018 27 SPORT Coach sacking threatens Spain campaign In the aftermath of Real Madrid's third consecutive Championship League win, few could have predicted the chain of events leading to what has emerged as the biggest crisis to hit the game in Spain in recent memory. Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane's surprise decision to quit after the win against Liverpool in Kiev, sparked a search for a new manager. Russian winger Aleksandr Golovin starred for Russia against Saudi Arabia. PHOTO: SPORT.LIDOVKY.CZ Russia fires five past Saudis in World Cup opener GEORGE STOGIANNOU Russia struck a goal rush in the opening match of the 2018 World Cup final defeating Saudi Arabia 5-0 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Friday morning. Two goals to first half sub Denis Cheryshev and singles to Yury Gazinsky, Artem Dzyuba, and Aleksandr Golovin, gave the host nation a dream beginning to what home fans hope will be a deep run into the tournament. Although the Russians, who were the lowest ranked of the 32 nations in the tournament, were favourites going into the game, few could have predicted such a flood of goals from them. Playing in a direct style in contrast to the Saudi's short, sharp passing game, the Russians fed off Saudi turnovers and were able to frequently penetrate a Saudi defence which proved vulnerable to the swift direct Russian counterattacks. Winger Golovin crossed early from the left flank to find the head of midfielder Gazinsky for the opening goal of the game in the 12th minute. The Saudis had the lion's share of possession but struggled to penetrate and find their forwards against a disciplined Russian team who defended en masse in their own half, pressed with intensity once the Saudis moved the ball over the halfway line, forcing errors from the Saudis. Russia suffered an early blow when it lost star midfield playmaker Alan Dzagoev to a hamstring injury, however his replacement winger Cheryshev made a telling difference just before half-time by doubling Russia's lead with a composed finish after a swift Russian counterattack stretched the Saudi defence. Another Russian sub, Dzu- bya headed home a third goal in the 72nd minute from another excellent Golovin cross to put the match beyond the Saudi's reach. Russia then completed the route scoring two memorable goals in injury time. The first came from the outside of Cheryshev's left boot, while the second came directly from a Golovin free kick which flew over the Saudi wall and inside the near post. The two late goals were just reward for the two Russian wingers for outstanding matches. Afterwards, Russian coach Stanislav Cherchesov, whose coaching was the subject of criticism going into the game, commented, "We are not trying to silence anyone, we are just doing our work. "It's just the beginning. We won 5-0 and we got three points. However, we could have played out a 1-1 [draw], nothing would have changed. "This is a tournament, we need to get points and qualify from the group.” He acknowledged their Con- federations Cup experience last year when they won the first game 2-0, but says it didn't get them very far. "I know the players gave 100 per cent and we saw the proof that they are on the right track. We need to turn the page and focus on the next step." The only blight on the win was Dzagoev’s injury, which could force him out of the tournament. "We don't know the complete picture," said Cherchesov. "He was in severe pain and he couldn't keep running. From experience he could be out of the tournament … We'd be very sad to lose the player, we don't have many players of this level, he would be a big loss." In the meantime, the national team coach Julen Lopetegui had recently agreed to a new contract offered to him by new Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales on the back of his successful reformation of the Spanish national team following their disappointing performances at Brazil 2014 and Euro 2016. That contract was to keep Lopetegui in charge till 2020. However the proverbial hit the fan when Real Madrid announced, just three days before Spain's opening Group B match against Portugal, that Lopetegui was to be its new coach following the current World Cup campaign. A blindsided Rubiales was informed five minutes before Real Madrid's public announcement of the appointment, just three days out from the World Cup opener against Spain. The Spanish press went to town criticising the coach for causing a distraction, and for negotiating his Real contract when he should've been preparing the squad for the opener against Portugal. An infuriated Rubiales immediately left a FIFA meeting and flew into the Spanish camp where he reportedly spoke to the players before calling a press con- ference and announced the shock decision to sack the national team coach Lopetegui just two days before the start of its opening World Cup group match against Portugal. Needless to say, the announcement has sent shock waves through the football world, and the decision threatens to derail the Spanish giant's Russia campaign before it has started. Said Rubiales: "The (Span- ish federation) RFEF cannot stay on the margin of the contractual situation of one of its workers. We have been obliged to act.” "The problem is how things have been done with the total absence of participation of the Spanish Football Federation, that is something we cannot ignore, Lopetegui is an impeccable professional but the process is important." While much of the Spanish press have criticised the coach's behaviour and Real Madrid's actions as potentially undermining the Spanish World Cup campaign, others have described Rubiales' decision as impetuous and based upon emotion. There can be little doubt that Spain's opponents in Group B, Portugal, Morocco, and even Iran will fancy their chances of getting some result against the Spanish, who, under Lopetegui, had a formidable record of being undefeated in 20 games. Rubiales announced that Fernando Hierro, the technical director at the Spanish federation, will take over as the head coach of the Spanish team at the World Cup. As an inexperienced coach at this level, one can only assume he'll be trying to provide as much continuity as possible. Spain’s head coach Julen Lopetegui reacts during the international friendly soccer match between Spain and Switzerland at La Ceramica Stadium in Vilarreal, Spain. PHOTO: AAP VIA EPA/JUAN CARLOS CARDENAS